Four Decades: An innocent Gesture

Four Decades documents one of the most influential projects and events in modern Canadian art history: Robert Davidson as an emerging 22-year-old artist, assisted by his brother Reg Davidson, carved and erected the first totem pole in Masset in over 100 years. The pole is publicly carved and becomes the focal point for the community including input from elders on historical pole raisings, apprenticeships for younger artists and a process that led to a full-scale modern potlatch at the completion.

Since this event, Robert has hosted many cultural events at great personal expense, time and research to both recreate historical traditions and to acknowledge contemporary issues, events and the contributions of individuals.

The book is self-published and includes personal and archival photographs documenting the event.